Category Archives: Music

House Concert Nirvana: Lamp Light Music Festival aims to hit stride with inspiring, empowering small shows

Posted on November 5, 2014 by brianjbowe

There’s a small-but-growing movement toward house shows — small, cozy concerts staged in living rooms and basements, lightly promoted and accessible mostly to people already in the know. Grand Rapids’ Lamp Light Music Festival gives a wider audience the chance … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY/DIT, Feature, Grand Rapids, House Shows, Indie, Lamp Light, Music | Leave a comment

Gettin’ Down with the Clowns: Detroit’s Insane Clown Posse, Faygo and the ShockFest ‘spectacle as resistance’

Posted on September 28, 2014 by brianjbowe

Detroit’s Insane Clown Posse rolled into Grand Rapids to launch its 33-date ShockFest tour at the Orbit Room. The duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope shared the stage with openers Mushroomhead, Da Mafia 6ix, Big Hoodoo and Jelly … Continue reading →

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X gives Grand Rapids that pure punk experience

Posted on September 9, 2014 by brianjbowe

There may be no punk band that captures the true weird spirit of America better than X. Their music evokes this nation’s vast spaces, weird politics, dark mystery and relentless energy. Playing to a packed house at Grand Rapids’ The … Continue reading →

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Getting it all wrong about Jack White in Detroit

Posted on July 31, 2014 by brianjbowe

Regarding Jack White’s concert at the Fox Theatre in Detroit this week, there is little doubt that it was a powerful, transcendent show. I’ve rarely seen anything like it. And the critical reception of Detroit media was pretty unanimously in … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism, Detroit, Jack White, Music, Nick Cave, Review | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tedeschi Trucks Band displays Southern, cosmic soul music at Meijer Gardens

Posted on June 19, 2014 by brianjbowe

As the Tedeschi Trucks Band neared the end of a hard-charging set at Meijer Gardens Thursday night, the group performed the towering, spiritual-tinged title track from last year’s LP “Made Up Mind.” And, over the course of a nearly two-hour … Continue reading →

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